Suspect arrested for drug offenses in court parking lot 09-09-02

Vice officers arrested a 29-year-old Puna man for a number of drug and drug-related offenses after searching his car Friday (September 6, 2002) in the Hilo court building parking lot.

The suspect was identified as Joseph Albert Felix, of an Orchidland Subdivision address.

Acting on previous state and federal arrest warrants, vice officers arrested the suspect after he appeared in Hilo Circuit Court on a subpoena for a separate case.

The Hilo Vice Section’s narcotics canine alerted officers to the presence of drugs in the suspect’s car. After obtaining a search warrant, the officers found a .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol with a 2.5 barrel, 26.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine, or “ice,” 34 grams of marijuana, various drug paraphernalia and methamphetamine residue in a pipe.

Felix was arrested for an illegal place to keep a firearm, possessing an unregistered firearm, second-degree promotion of a dangerous drug, promotion of a detrimental drug and possessing illegal drug paraphernalia.

Police also seized for forfeiture the suspect’s car, a 1986 Honda Accord, $720 in cash and a scanner.

Because of the amount of drugs seized, the suspect was turned over to federal authorities for federal prosecution.